Apparatus for fettling articles of green pottery ware



y 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 3 m m m 29 w g' E X 1 mm "7 "1 L 2 m mg j o Ty I: l U 52 R '5'! 1 A J @o ")1:

WI 8 ii J QZI Q y4| v 15 o l .Ei 5M EUGENE. G. HRELT.

1N VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FEITTLING ARTlCLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20 1950 1v SheetsSheet 2 EU6ENE.G. flRELTl IN VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. 3. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR F'ETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE EUGENE. 6. HRELII N VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE 5 EUGENE .6.HRELT.

IN V N TOR.

y 1956 E. G. ARELT 2353,555

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY mm Original Filed June29, 1950 1'7 Sheets-finest '5 LIL ql E517, M39

Z 7. 6 EUGENE .a. 1mm

IN VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. e. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 N 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 E U GENE .G. 1925:

IN VEN TOR.

y 4, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN' POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 EUGENE-GARELT.

IN VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. G. ARELT APPARATUS FOR FEITTLING ARTICLES OF GREENPOTTERY WARE Original Filed June 20, 1950 1.? Sheets-Sheet 9 EUGENE. G.QRELT 1N VEN TOR.

y 24, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREENPOTTERY WARE EUGENE. G. HRELT.

INVENTOR.

E. G. ARELT July 24, 1956 APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREENPOTTERY WARE Original Filed June 20, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 l y 24, 1956E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet l2 EUGENE. G. HRELTI IN VEN TOR.

July 24, 1956 E. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FEITTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 EUGENE. G HRELZ IN VEN TOR.

E. G. ARELT July 24, 1956 APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREENPOTTERY WARE 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 Original Filed June 20, 1950 E. G. ARELT2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE July 24, 1956 17Sheets-Sheet 15 Original Filed June 20, 1950 EUGENE. G. fl/ZELZ"INVENTOR.

July 24, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FEJTTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 EUGENEG. flRELT.

IN VEN TOR.

y 4, 1956 E. G. ARELT 2,755,531

APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES OF GREEN POTTERY WARE Original FiledJune 20, 1950 17 sheets-Shea; 1'7

EUGENEG. flRELT.

IN VEN TOR.

BYW/VL/ Patented July 24, 1956 APPARATUS FOR FETTLING ARTICLES F GREENPOTTERY WARE Eugene G. Arelt, Baldwinsville, N. Y., assignor to OnondagaPottery Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Originalapplication June 20, 1950, Serial No. 139,755. Divided and thisapplication June 26, 1951, Serial No. 233,658

14 Claims. (Cl. 2522) This invention relates to apparatus forautomatically trimming or fettling green, air dried, un fired, potteryware in preparing the same for firing. This application is a division ofmy copend-ing application, Sr. No. 139,755, filed January 20, 1950, nowPatent 2,608,738.

It is customary, in the manufacture of high grade tableware to trim, orfettle, the edge or rim of the ware by rotating the ware, either singlepieces, or a plurality of pieces, arranged in a stack and while rotatingthe ware, applying a tool by hand against the edge of the ware to removeany fringe or flashing therefrom, and to form or round the edge of theware to the desired semicircular shape for better appearance andserviceability.

Attempts have been heretofore made to do the fettling operationmechanically. However, such attempts were not successful due mainly tothe fact that the apparatus employed was incapable of performing on theextremely fragile, air dried ware which, at that stage, has very lowtensile strength.

This invention has as an object apparatus which functions toautomatically fettle the green ware without damaging or breaking theware, and the apparatus embodies a Structural arrangement by which amultiplicity of pieces of ware are fettled simultaneously, whereby theproduction of the apparatus is high.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a major portion of a machine embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the portion of the machine immediately tothe right of that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the left hand portion of themachine shown in Figure 1 looking upwardly and with the dischargeconveyor omitted, as indicated by the line 34, 34.

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, of the right hand portion ofthe structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1,looking to the left of that figure.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view looking to the right, Figure 1, withparts broken away.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the machine cabinet taken on a linecorresponding to line 77, Figure 3, and with parts broken away.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the cabinet portion of themachine, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, with one of the side platesthereof removed and one partially broken away.

Figure 9 is a view taken on line 99, Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a view taken on line 19-40, Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one of theware grippers.

Figure 12 is an elevation'al view of the timer cam shaft and drivingmechanism for controlling the sequence of operation of the machine.

'Figure 13 is a fragmentary view taken on line 13-13, Figure 12.

Figure 14 is an elevational view of a fettling tool and the supportingarm therefor.

Figure 15 is an end elevational view looking to the right, Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1616, Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a side elevational view of a modified form of fettlingtool.

Figure 18 is a top plan view of the tool arrangement shown in Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a view taken on line 19-19, Figure 17.

Figure 20 is an end elevational view of the tool shown in Figures 17 and18.

Figure 21 is a view taken on line 21--21, Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a top plan view of a further modified form of fettlingtool.

Figure 23 is a side eleva-tional view of the tool shown in Figure 22.

Figure 24 is a plan view of the driving or actuating mechanism for thedischarge conveyor.

Figure 25 is a side elevational view of the drive mechanism shown inFigure 24.

Figure 26 is a plan view of the actuating or driving mechanism for theiii-feed conveyor.

Figure 27 is a side elevational view of the driving mechanism shown inFigure 26.

Figure 28 is a top plan view of the opposite end of the conveyorstructure shown in Figure 26.

Figure 29 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure28.

The machine consists generally of an in-feed conveyor, a dischargeconveyor, and a plurality of vertically journalled ware rotatingspindles arranged intermediate the conveyors.

The machine further includes ware transfer mecha nism which operates tosimultaneously transfer a plura'lity of pieces of ware from the iii-feedconveyor to the fettling spindles and at the conclusion of the fettlingoperation to transfer the fettled ware to the discharge conveyor.

The machine proper includes a frame structure mounted upon a basestructure formed of I beams 44). The ends of the framework consist ofplates 41, 42, extending upwardly from the base and connected bylengthwise extending members 43, plates &4, 45, 46, and a top plate 47.The top plate 47 is secured to the upright plates 41, 42 by anglemembers 48, and the top plate and side plate 46 are secured together bythe angle members 43.

An in-feed conveyor is mounted on one side of the cabinet. This conveyoris in the form of a wide belt 55 extending the major portion of thelength of the cabinet and being trained over a driving roll 51, Figures5 and 26, aflixed to a shaft 52 as by set screws 53 positioned in thehubs of the webs of the roll. The shaft 52 is journal'led at each end ina bearing 54, one of which is shown in Figure 26. The bearing 54 ismounted upon a plate 56 secured to an upright 57 forming part of theconveyor frame. The opposite end of the shaft is journalled in a similarstructure, not shown, and the frame includes a horizontal member 58extending along each side of the conveyor, these members being supportedat their outer ends on uprights 59, Figures 28 and 29.

The conveyor belt 50 is also trained over a roll 60 journalled inbearings 61 secured to the outer ends of the members 58, see Figures 28and 29. A positioning guide or jig is arranged at the outer end of theconveyor and consists of a plate 62 extending transversely across thebelt 50 and being formed with notches 63. The

3 a plate 62 is mounted on blocks 64 secured to the side rail members 58as by bolts 65 and wing nuts 66. The plate 62 is formed with elongatedapertures 67 to provide adjustment of the plate transversely of thebelt. The pieces of ware, indicated in dotted outline at 68, Figure 28,are intially positioned on the belt in the V notches 63 to aline thepieces in a row in a predetermined position on the belt. As the upperrun of the belt is advanced toward the cabinet of the machine, this rowof ware will arrive at the cabinet in position to be engaged by the waretransfer mechanism.

The upper run of the conveyor belt 50, with the rows of ware thereon, isintermittently advanced towards the cabinet by a motor 70 connected to agear reducing unit 71 by means of a belt 72, see Figures 26, 27. The output shaft 73 of the reduction unit has affixed thereto a Geneva crank74, the roller 75 of which engages slots '76 of a Geneva disk '77mounted upon the shaft 52. This in-put conveyor accordingly functions tointermitently advance rows of ware toward, and in juxtaposition to, thecabinet containing the ware transfer and trimming mechanism. As shown inthe drawings, the arrangement is constructed to handle a row of sixpieces of ware and there are accordingly six transfer members fortransferring the six pieces of ware in each row to the pads or turntables 78, Figure 10, by which the pieces of ware are rotated for thefettling operation.

The turn tables 78 are positioned on hub members 79 adjustably fixed tospindles 80 as by means of clamping screws 81, see Figure 10. The turntable plates 78 are clamped against the flange of the hub 79 by a hollowscrew 32 threading into the end of the spindle and rotation of the hubis transmitted to the turn table by a dowel pin 83.

The spindles 80 are journalled vertically in bearings 85, 86, mounted inbox shaped supports 67 secured to the under side of the top plate 47 ofthe machine cabinet. One of the spindles 80 has affixed to it a sprocket88- for example, the third spindle from the left, Figures 7 and 8, andthis sprocket is connected to a sprocket 89 by a chain 90. The sprocket89 is fixed to the upper end of a shaft 91 journalled vertically in thecabinet and which carries at its lower end a pulley 92 connected to adriving motor 93 by a belt 94. This turn table spindle 80, together withthe one positioned on the left thereof, Figure 8, and the two positionedon the right thereof, carry double sprockets 95. The two spindles on theends of the machine, Figure 8, are provided with single sprockets. Thespindles are operatively connected together by driving chains 93. Itwill be apparent that this arrangement provides for rotation of all thespindles at a uniform speed by the driving motor 93.

All of the spindles are formed with an axially extending passage 99,Figure 10. A member is secured to the bottom wall of each of thesupporting housings 67 as by screws 101. These members are formed withan axially extending passage 102 communicating with the passage 99extending through the spindle. A depending cylindrical sleeve 103 issecured to each of the members 101) and is provided with a bottomclosure 104 detachably secured thereto as by tension springs 105. A pipe196 forms an extension of the passage 102 and terminates in proximity tothe closure 104. The sleeve is filled with dust collecting material 107,such as oiled wool. The member 100 is formed with a passage 108communicating with a pipe 109 which is connected to a header 110 througha valve 111 operated by a solenoid 112 and a. pipe 113. The header 110is connected to a vacuum pump through a main solenoid operated valve114, Figure 8. The valve 114 and the individual valves 111 are opened toapply vacuum through the spindles 30 to fixedly secure the pieces ofware 68 to the turn table so that the pieces of ware will be rotated forthe trimming or fettling operation.

A disk 115, Figure 10, of resilient material, such as 4 rubber, issecured to the upper surface of each of the turn tables 78 and ispreferably formed with a plurality of concentric grooves 116 to aid infixedly securing the pieces of ware to the turn table by the vacuummeans.

The pieces of ware 68, here shown in the form of flat ware, such asdinner plates, are transferred from the infeed conveyor belt 50 to theturn tables 78 by apparatus disclosed in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 11. Thisapparatus consists of a pair of ware gripping members for each piece ofware. The gripping members consist of a circular member 120, Figure 11,having four depending arms 121, each of which is bifurcated at its lowerend to re ceive a ware gripping finger having a depending arm 123 and aninwardly extending arm 124. These fingers are pivotally mounted on thearms 121 as by pivot pins 125. Each of the members is formed with aradially extending bracket 126 which are secured to the ends ofsupporting members 128, as by screws 129. These members 128 are fixedintermediat their ends to a tubular shaft 130, Figure 4, which extendslengthwise of the machine and is journalled at its ends in brackets 131which, in turn, are journalled at their lower ends on shafts 132. Theshafts 132 are journalled at their inner ends in bearings 133 and attheir outer ends in brackets 134, 135. The bearings 133 are mounted onthe upper ends of the end plates 41, 42, of the cabinet frame. Thebracket 134 is attached to the end plate 41 as by screws 136, and thebracket 135 is attached to the end plate 42, as by screws 137. A spurgear 139 is fixed to each end of the tubular shaft 130. These gears 139are arranged in mesh with idler gears 140 journalled on the brackets 131and meshing with gears 141 pinned to the shafts 132. Gears 142 are alsopinned to the shafts 132 and are fixed to the brackets 131 as by screws143, Figures 3 and 4.

The shafts 132 are oscillated by a gear quadrant 145, Figures 4 and 5,fixed to a shaft 146 which also extends lengthwise of the cabinet and isjournalled at its ends in the end plates 41, 42. The gear quadrant isconnected to a crank 148 by a link 149. The crank 148 is fixedly securedto a shaft 150, Figure 4, which also extends lengthwise of the machineand is journalled in the end plates 41, 42. This shaft has affixed to ita spur gear 151 arranged in mesh with a pinion 152 on the output shaftof a gear reducer 153 driven by a motor 154, see Figure 4. With thisarrangement, the shaft 146 is oscillated whereby the gear 142 isoscillated through the quadrant 145. The shaft 146 is also provided witha quadrant 156 at its opposite end to mesh with the gear 142 fixed tothe bracket 131.

As the gears 142 are oscillated, the brackets 131 are also oscillatedthrough an arc of approximately 189. However during this oscillation ofthe brackets, the supporting members 128 are maintained in horizontalposition through the action of the gears 139, 141 and 141, at each endof the assembly. The result is that when the transfer mechanism is movedto the right, Figure 5, one set of ware grippers is arranged injuxtaposition to the in-feed belt 50, and the other set is arranged inalinement with the turn table 78, as indicated at dotted outline 160.When the transfer mechanism is oscillated to the left, Figure 5, theware gripping members that were previously arranged in alinement withthe turn tables are shifted into juxtaposition to the out-feed conveyorbelt 161, as indicated in dotted outline 162, and the ware grippingmembers that were formerly in juxtaposition to the in-feed conveyor belt511 are moved in registration with the turn tables 78.

Adjustable stop members 163 are threaded into the top of the end plates41, 42, and serve as stops for, and which are engageable by, thetransfer mechanism. These adjustable stops 163 determine the lowermostposition of the transfer so that the gripping fingers 123 are accuratelypositioned relative to the pieces of ware on the conveyors 50-161, andon the turn tables 78.

The detail structure of the ware gripping members is disclosed in Figure11. The members 120 are formed with a central concavity over which isarranged a dished member 164 having a hub portion 165 formed with acentral aperture 166 provided with a bushing 167 in which is slidaolymounted a stem 168. The chamber formed between the members 120, 164, ispartitioned by a flexible diaphragm 179, the peripheral margin of whichis clamped between the members as by screws 171. The stem 168 is fixedcentrally in the diaphragm by washers 172 and nut 173 threaded on thestem and acting against a shoulder formed by the lower enlarged portion174 of the stem which is slidably mounted in a depending hub 175. Thelower end of the stem has affixed to it a disk 176 and the inner ends ofthe arms 124 of the ware gripping fingers are provided with spaced flatspring members 177 between which the peripheral margin of the disk 176is positioned.

The hub 165 is formed with a vertical passage 178 which communicateswith a transversely extending passage 179 opening at one end into thebore 166 and being connected at its opposite end to a supply pipe 180,Figure 5, through a conduit 182. That portion of the chamber below thediaphragm 171) is connected to a supply pipe 183, Figure 4, throughconduits 184. The supply pipes 183, 183, extend parallel above the shaft130, the supply pipe 136 being connected to a valve 135 through rotarycoupiings 136, flexible conduits 187, 188. The supply pipe 183 islikewise connected to the valve 185 through couplings 139 and flexiblepipes 190, 191.

The purpose of this arrangement is to apply pressure on either the upperor lower sides of the diaphragm 1'70. When pressure is applied on theupper side of the dia phragm through the supply pipe 180, the stem 168and disk 176 is moved downwardly causing the arm 123 to move outwardly.

When pressure is applied through the pipe 183 to the under side of thediaphragm, the stem is moved upwardly and the fingers 123 movedinwardly. The lower ends of the fingers are provided with blocks 192 ofsoft resilient material, such as sponge rubber, so that when the fingers123 are moved inwardly, the piece of ware 68 is gripped by the rim andas the mechanism is moved about the axis of the shafts 132, the ware istransferred from the in-feed conveyor belt 51 to the turn-tables 78 andfrom the turntables to the out-feed conveyor 161.

The solenoid operated valve 185 is controlled so as to supply fluidpressure to the top of the diaphragm as the transfer grippers aredescending toward a piece of ware, or ready to move upwardly therefrom.As the grippers move a piece of WLll'C on the conveyor belt 50, or theturn-table 78, pressure is applied to the under side of the diaphragm,moving the fingers into engagement with the rim of the ware, and thispressure is maintained until the piece of Ware has been transferred fromthe belt 513 to one of the turn-tables, or from one of the turn-tablesto the belt 161, whereupon the pressure is exhausted and pressureapplied to the upward side of the diaphragm to move the fingers out ofengagement with the piece of ware.

When a piece of ware has been transferred from the belt 56 to aturn-table 78, the main vacuum valve 114, Figure 8, is opened and thevalve 111 is opened to apply vacuum through the turn-table spindle 80 tohold the piece of ware on the turn-table. The motor 93 is energized,eifecting rotation of the spindles and the fettling tool is movedradially inwardly to engage and trim the rim of the ware.

In the event a piece of were is not moved to a turntable 78, means isprovided for not energizing the solenoid 112 of the valve 111 associatedwith that turn-table. In part, this means comprises a switch 194, Figure11, fixed to the hub 165 of each of the transfer members and having anactuating stem 195 positioned in the upper end of the passage 66. Theswitch 194 is adjusted by the nut 126 so that the stem 195 will not beengaged by the stem 168 if the fingers 123 engage a piece of ware.However, if they do not engage a piece of ware or if after engaging thepiece it should break, the stem 168 will move upwardly and engage theswitch stern 195, opening the contacts of switch 194 which form part ofthe operating circuit for the individual solenoids 112, as will behereinafter described. Accordingly, the absence of a piece of ware fromone of the turn-tables 78 during the fettling operation will not breakthe vacuum applied to the other turn-tables.

The edge of the pieces of ware is fettled by tools movable intoengagement with the edge of the piece of ware while it is being rotatedon the turn-table 78. A shaft 240, Figure 10, is arranged injuxtaposition to each of the spindles 89. These shafts 240 arejournalled parallel to the spindles 8b in bearings 241 mounted in abearing support 242 depending from the top cabinet plate 47. Each shafthas fixed to its lower end a hub 243 having arms 244, 245, Figure 8,extending radially in opposite directions from the axis of the shaft240. A tension spring 246 is attached to the arm 244 and its oppositeend to a rod 247 extending through the cabinet side plate 46. The outerportion of the rods are threaded to receive a nut 24% to adjust thetension of the springs 246. The springs tend to urge the shafts 240 in acounter-clockwise direction, Figure 7. The arms 245 are formed with adepending portion 250, Figure l0, which is engaged by a bar 251 arrangedin the cabinet and extending lengthwise of the machine. The ends of thebar 251 are attached to pistons mounted in cylinders 252 secured to theinner surface of the end plates 41, 42, see Figures 8 and 10.

The shafts 240 extend upwardly through the top plate 47. A hub member255, Figure 14, is adjustably secured to the upper end of each spindle240. The hub members 255 are formed with radially extending projections256 to which a stem 257 is secured. In Figures 7, 14 and 15, the stems257 are secured at one end to a flat spring 258 as by screws 259, andthe springs are attached to the radial projections 256, as by screws260.

A tool holder 261 is apertured to receive the stem 257 and is providedwith a clamping screw having a nut 262 to permit adjustment of the toolholder axially and rotatably on the stem 257. The tool holder is formedwith a slot in which fettling tools 263, 264, are mounted. The tools arespaced apart by a spacer 265 and are clamped in the tool holder as byscrews 266. The ends of the tools facing toward the turn-table 78 areformed with concavities 267, Figure 15, or otherwise formed complementalto the edge finish desired for the ware. The ware is rotated asindicated by the arrow 268.

Af r the pieces of ware have been transferred to the turn-taste 78,Figure 7, and are put in rotation thereby. fluid under pressure issupplied to the cylinders 252 to cause the pistons and the bar 251carried thereby to move inwardiy and thus permitting the spindles 240 tobe rotated by the springs 246, moving the fettling tool into engageinentwith the edge of the ware. The tool or hit 263 first removes anyexcessive flash or fin from the bead on the edge of the ware. The toolis yieldingly urged inwardly toward the axis of the ware by the tensionsprings 246. During this movement, the leading edge of the tool or toolbit 264 engages and trims or fettles the bead of the ware to a smoothuniform surface. The leading ledge of the tool 264 is positioned on theradius of the ware, as indicated by the dotted line R, Figure 21. Thetool 263 is spaced forwardly of this point and accordingly the trailingedge of this tool, while in line with the leading edge 264, is spaced avery slight distance outwardly from the surface of the ware. Thisarrangement of the tools 263, 264, is particularly advantageous in thatthe tool 263, because of its position, rides on the rim of the piece ofware without effecting a cutting or shaving action, and thereby servesto steady the trimming tool as a whole and prevents the tool 264 fromhogging into the bead or rim of the ware. In this connection, it is tobe kept in mind that the piece of ware is only air dried and has notbeen fired and accordingly is extremely fragile, and further the objectof

